We know you’ve probably been to a wine bar that serves their cheese and charcuterie on those beautiful slate boards. You know what we’re talking about, don’t you? And if you’re lucky enough someone has taken the time to label everything they’re serving directly on the board. We were first acquainted with these boards during DC Wine Week at Veritas and since then we’ve been keeping a lookout for some we could permanently bring home with us. (Because who doesn’t need more kitchen and serving gadgets?) We figured a slate serving board would be perfect for some of our recipe platings and photographs.

Circumstance met with good fortune and we were recently introduced to Rodale’s Inc. and consequentially Brooklyn Slate Company just in time for Earth Day this Tuesday (4/21). Our hearts have a soft spot for companies and products that are artisanally made, eco-friendly, crafted from repurposed materials, and those made in the USA. We like to support the people who care about the footprint they’re making while simultaneously producing quality.

Rodale’s focus is on sustainability – living in unison with the environment. They provide a “healthy” shopping experience for consumers with all of the products they carry being sustainably produced and responsibly sourced meeting rigorous standards for health, safety, and effectiveness. Rodale’s carries everything from apparel and accessories, to kitchen goods, children’s items, home and garden items and beauty products.

Brooklyn Slate Company began from humble beginnings. A collaboration between Brooklyn graphic designer Sean Tice (founder) and Parsons graduate student Kristy Hadeka (founder & CEO), after visiting Kristy’s family’s slate quarry and bringing home a few pieces to use as all purpose boards. After gifting a few to friends, the response they received lead to the start their slate board company. Kristy and Sean use slate from the upper state New York third-generation family owned quarry, and often use vintage salvaged slate pieces (old roof shingles or floor tiles) whenever possible to produce their cheese boards, coasters, placemats, etc.

The natural slate boards are stunning. Aesthetically packaged in a way that not only enhances the visual of the product, the packaging of the product with a burlap storage sack, and twine are eco-friendly methods. Each board comes with a soapstone pencil for writing with on the board. (You know… to label your cheeses and charcuterie. Nobody likes mystery meat.) In production, the corners and edges are filed down for safe handling and each piece is hand packaged.

We enjoyed browsing through Rodale’s products and are thrilled we ran across Brooklyn Slate Company in the process. We give huge kudos to both companies and think if you’re anything like us, you’ll also love what you find.

About Rebekah (Editor)

Rebekah spent much of her childhood on the coast of Maine where she cultivated her affinity for local seafood. Her lust for traveling extended beyond her New England borders and so she spent time traveling to Nepal, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, and various parts of the U.S. before taking up blogging and spawn rearing as her full time gig. A transplant into the DC Metro Area, she has a newfound enthusiasm for gastronomy, and finding the best indulgences in the District. Rebekah's photographs and writing have been published by various media outlets, however her love of adventure would find her constantly on the go exploring new places and cuisine.